


Getting Better is a Process

by MountainRose



Series: Tumblr Prompts [12]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fever, Gen, Platonic Cuddling, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Sick!Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-07
Updated: 2016-01-07
Packaged: 2018-05-12 09:44:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5661766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MountainRose/pseuds/MountainRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They all get the cold, but unlike <em>some people</em> Tony does not have a super immune system, or regular exposure to plague vectors. </p><p>The flashback is just icing, by that point.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Getting Better is a Process

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kyburg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyburg/gifts).



> I lost the prompt for this one, so if anyone knows who asked for it, particularly if they have an AO3 account, please let me know in the comments.

  
There's a kind of outrage that's sustaining, a really energising kind of pissed off. This is not it.   
  
Tony's grump is the other kind and involves turning into a growly bagworm on the couch while the rest of the team get away with cups of lemsip and sniffles. Tony's voice is way beyond the help of honey and lemon.    
  
Steve is the worst, he sniffed once that anyone else saw, and now he's fine. Better than fine, he's bouncing through gearing up for his mission like there's candy and rainbows waiting for him on the helicarrier. Bastard. Wanda and Friday are already in the jet; they're teaching each other to fly and Wanda is being hatefully resistant to bacteria. Rhodey and Vision are long gone; it’s just Tony, Nat and Mrs. Barton staying.   
  
It's probably Tiny Agent's fault that they're even sick, too.    
  
Tony shrinks further into his shell of blankets when the sprog shuffles past, dragging her muzzy from a despondent hand. He has no idea what she's up to; the kids are a perennial mystery to him. Also, how is she better already? She is tiny and-- and--    
  
Ugh. She moves out of sight and thus out of mind. Undistracted, Tony sniffles despondently and shivers. It is FREEZING out there and any draught into his blankets feels like an icecube, and sets off a round of shivers, which let's in more draughts.    
  
"Hey, boss, boss' gone, you wanna head to bed?” Natasha asks, suddenly crouched in between him -on the couch- and the coffee table. He blinks dazedly and the world moves in between eye openings, like he's on a boat    
  
Tony leans enough to look the window overlooking the launch chute and there the jet goes. A double dip salute -left then right- says Wanda is piloting and Tony wriggles his fingers in their direction.   
  
“God yes. You coming with me?” he asks. He meant it to be flirtatious but it comes out whiny as hell and he grumbles as he tugs his blankets closer around his shoulders. He just can't fucking get warm.    
  
Natasha's giving him this long, assessing stare, which he returns warily; the whole tentative Bruce thing blowing up in her face has made her rougher round the edges, more naked, but his head is full of cotton and he has no idea what she's thinking.    
  
He forgets what he asked by the time she answers. “Sure, we can watch YouTube in bed. C'mon.”    
  
She pulls on his shoulder as she rises and he gets his legs under himself, just about. There's something wrong with his left knee, but it's been dodgy for weeks, so he ignores it and stumbles after her.   
  
\------------   
  
Tony's been putting a brave face on it, but she isn't fooled and retreats to his ensuite to place a call. He's been afraid of getting sick since he got back from Afghanistan and this is why; his lungs are rattling audibly with every breath. At least the reactor itself isn't squashing things anymore. According to Jocasta, his temperature is still rising and she's actually starting to get worried by the glassy eyes and pallor. She'd have asked Bruce, before, but instead she has Helen, who actually is that kind of doctor.    
  
"Get him ‘warm’ sure, but if he gets to 104°, we'll come up and put him on a couple IVs. Keep me posted, okay?”    
  
"Sure. I'm just gonna stick around for now, keep him from going off and doing something ‘interesting’.”    
  
"Great. Let me know if you need spotting.”   
  
"Thanks Helen. I’ll keep in touch,” she says, and disconnects.    
  
When she heads back into the bedroom to sit on Tony, she finds him sprawled on his side, with his face pressed into his pillow. An ugly, rough gasp bows his shoulders and oh God, he's suffocating--   
  
She's right there in seconds, turning him over, but he's not the weak, limp thing she was expecting and he grabs her belt and thigh with almost bruising force. He's all hard muscles, shaking violently and holding on like she might just fall. Or he might. Shit...   
  
His eyes are sharp and wet, focused on something invisible. “Nat, Nat you've got to run, it’s coming out of the-- run! Go away!” He pushes at her, but his muscles are locked up and it doesn't do much.    
  
"It hurts, Nat, I can't-- you have to-- the team get the team out of, --of...”    
  
Empathy makes her own chest seize, he never... Never really said it hurts him. Of course it does. She'd known he thought they'd leave him behind but ... Of course that'd hurt him.    
  
"It’s okay, Tony... Hey, shh...” She wriggles enough to dislodge his grip and slides into his arms, where he can't push her away. His face is scorching hot against her T-shirt and he shakes against her like he's coming off a fight.    
  
"We're safe, we're all safe. Steve's happy with his new mag braces, Sam loves the wings, c'mon, Tones.”   
  
"I should have done more-- this, it's, pathetic piece of--” He's trying to pull away, and when she gets a glimpse of his face, he's looking at the door like he's headed to the workshop.   
  
"Hey! Don't talk about my techie like that. He's a genius, y'know?” She doesn't let him up, and pushes him towards the middle of the bed each time he pushes up to try again. Once he's there, and roughly the right way up -head in pillows, ish- she dumps his collection of blankets over him with a flick of the wrist. He's too hot to get in with, but she can do the next best thing and get on top of the blankets and pin him down.    
  
He makes a soft, defeated noise as she settles her weight on his right side but stops with a sigh when she thrown an arm and leg over his body.    
  
"Natasha...”   
  
"Yep.”    
  
"Why-- Why did she have to-- I was getting better, they--”    
  
"She didn't know, Tony. She didn't know.”    
  
He goes quiet, but the fever's still high, and he's a mess all through, it's got to go somewhere.    
  
She can't help but feel bad for him when that mess comes out as tears. It's a first, maybe in a long time, but she hold onto him while he cries all over her. He's so hot, 103°, and he can't hold anything back, but he's silent.   
  
Silent crying is for people who know no one is coming, but she's right here, and she pulls him tight against her heart beat.   
  
" I'm here, Tony, it's okay, we're all... Okay... “


End file.
